Flight Safety Information November 16, 2018 - No. 233 In This Issue Incident: Jetblue A320 near Buffalo on Nov 14th 2018, engine shut down in flight Accident: PAL Airlines DH8C at Stephenville on Nov 15th 2018, nose gear up landing Incident: Cebu Pacific AT72 at Mactan on Nov 1st 2018, engine fire Incident: SAA A346 over Switzerland on Nov 6th 2018, overspeed, dual ADR failure Boeing 737-8H4 (WL) - Ground Damage (MO) Casa C-212 - Runway Excursion (Paraguay) Passengers Stranded For Hours At Logan Airport Due To Snow Airline Pilots Raise Training Concerns About Boeing's 737 Max. Third Pilots' Union Raises Concern About Boeing 737 Max Jet Manufacturer had concerns about engine part that led to woman's death on Southwest flight Here are all of the countries not allowed to fly into the US Indian Aviation Safety Body Rushes to Train Crash Investigators Ahead of UN Audit Canadian Regulator Too Passive, Safety Board Chief Says Deadly Air Force Training Jet Crash Was the Fifth in Just One Year In-flight sexual misconduct task force announced by Department of Transportation Speculations over the new FAA chief and what it could mean for the drone industry Celebrating 90 years of Antarctic aviation UK orders 17 more F-35B Lightning II aircraft SaudiGulf signs for A320neo family aircraft GAMA Accelerates Dialogue on eVTOL Aircraft 2019 Air Charter Safety Foundation Safety Symposium...March 12-13, 2019 Royal Aeronautical Society Montreal Branch 15th annual Assad Kotaite Lecture (6 December 2018) SpaceX gets FCC approval to deploy thousands more internet satellites DTI Training Workshops Scheduled in Canada and the U.S. Investigation in Safety Management Systems from SCSI Incident: Jetblue A320 near Buffalo on Nov 14th 2018, engine shut down in flight A Jetblue Airbus A320-200, registration N659JB performing flight B6-1735 from Boston,MA to Minneapolis,MN (USA) with 61 people on board, was enroute at FL340 about 160nm east of Buffalo,NY (USA) when the crew descended the aircraft to FL240 after shutting an engine (V2527) down. The aircraft diverted to Buffalo, advised tower they were expecting a normal landing and taxi to the apron, landed safely on runway 32 about 40 minutes later and taxied to the apron. A replacement Airbus A321-200 registration N969JT reached Minneapolis with a delay of 6 hours. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/JBU1735/history/20181114/1935Z/KBOS/KMSP http://avherald.com/h?article=4c052fd7&opt=0 Back to Top Accident: PAL Airlines DH8C at Stephenville on Nov 15th 2018, nose gear up landing A PAL Airlines de Havilland Dash 8-300, registration C-FPAE performing flight PB-1922 from Churchill Falls,NL to Deer Lake,NL (Canada) with 47 passengers and 4 crew, was on approach to Deer Lake when the crew received an unsafe nose gear indication and went around at about 11:40L (15:10Z). The crew performed a low approach to Deer Lake to have the nose gear inspected from the ground, which showed the nose gear was not down. Due the present weather at Deer Lake the crew decided to divert to Stephenville,NL (Canada) where the crew performed a nose gear up landing at 12:30L (16:00Z). There were no injuries, the damage to the aircraft is being assessed. The airline reported the aircraft "had an indication of a potential nose landing gear issue. The crew followed prescribed procedures including a flyby of the Deer Lake control tower for a visual indication of the nose gear position. Given adverse weather in Deer Lake, the aircraft proceeded to Stephenville for landing as the nose gear could not be confirmed as locked. Stephenville Airport rescue vehicles met the aircraft on landing. The aircraft landed without the nose gear locked in position and came to a stop on the runway." http://avherald.com/h?article=4c051dc5&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: Cebu Pacific AT72 at Mactan on Nov 1st 2018, engine fire A Cebu Pacific Air Avions de Transport Regional ATR-72-212A, registration RP-C7285 performing flight DG-6717 from Cebu City to Cagayan de Oro (Philippines), was in the initial climb out of Cebu City's runway 04 when the crew received indication of a fire in the right hand engine (PW127), levelled off at 4000 feet, shut the engine down, performed the fire drill and returned to Cebu City for a safe landing on runway 04 about 25 minutes after departure. The Philippines AIB rated the occurrence a serious incident and opened an investigation. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c05098f&opt=0 Back to Top Incident: SAA A346 over Switzerland on Nov 6th 2018, overspeed, dual ADR failure A SAA South African Airways Airbus A340-600, registration ZS-SNF performing flight SA-260 from Johannesburg (South Africa) to Frankfurt/Main (Germany), was enroute at FL380 climbing to FL390 over Switzerland about 40nm southsoutheast of Zurich (Switzerland) when the aircraft encountered overspeed, the speed over ground increased to 530 knots. The crew slowed the aircraft and continued to Frankfurt for a safe landing about 35 minutes later. Germany BFU reported the aircraft encountered an overspeed event, rated the occurrence a serious incident and opened an investigation. According to information The Aviation Herald received the aircraft sustained multiple system faults in flight including the failures of Air Data Reference 2 (ADR2) and 3 (ADR3) associated with the autopilot and autothrust disengaging and the fall back of the FBW into alternate law. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground for 3 days, then returned to Johannesburg as flight SA-4263. http://avherald.com/h?article=4c0504fb&opt=0 Back to Top Boeing 737-8H4 (WL) - Ground Damage (MO) Date: 15-NOV-2018 Time: ca 22:10 UTC Type: Boeing 737-8H4 (WL) Owner/operator: Southwest Airlines Registration: N8635F C/n / msn: 60083/4962 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Minor Location: Saint Louis-Lambert International Airport, MO (STL/KSTL) - United States of America Phase: Taxi Nature: International Scheduled Passenger Departure airport: Kansas City International Airport, MO (MCI/KMCI) Destination airport: Saint Louis-Lambert International Airport, MO (STL/KSTL) Narrative: Southwest Airlines flight WN2095, a Boeing 737-800, struck the winglet of a WOW Air Airbus A321neo (TF- DTR) while taxiing to the gate at Saint Louis-Lambert International Airport, Missouri, USA. The Boeing 737 had just arrived after a flight from Kansas City, USA. The left-hand winglet of the aircraft impacted and cut into the rear side of the right-hand winglet of the WOW Air A320neo that was preparing for departure to Reykjavik-Keflavik Airport, Iceland as flight WW168. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=217903 Back to Top Casa C-212 - Runway Excursion (Paraguay) Date: 15-NOV-2018 Time: Type: CASA C-212 Aviocar 200 Owner/operator: Fuerza Aérea Paraguaya Registration: 2027 C/n / msn: 307 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 23 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Minor Location: Bahia Negra Airport (BFA) - Paraguay Phase: Landing Nature: Military Departure airport: Destination airport: Bahia Negra Airport (BFA) Narrative: Fuerza Aerea Paraguaya CASA 212 (2027) overran the end of the runway at Bahia Negra Airport (SGBN), Alto Paraguay. All 23 on board were safe. The aircraft ran across uneven ground before it came to rest. Damage appears to be minor. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=217860 Back to Top Passengers Stranded For Hours At Logan Airport Due To Snow BOSTON (CBS) - With flights delayed and canceled due to the storm, several arriving planes and the passengers on board had to wait hours for an available gate at Logan Airport. That was the case for frustrated passengers on board one flight from Dallas. Snow impacted air travel at Logan Airport. (Image Credit: Cam Goggins) After two hours, Goggins says those passengers from Dallas were finally able to get off the plane around 2 a.m. They are now one of several groups of passengers scrambling to figure out how to make it to their final stops. "We were stuck on the play for two hours," said Breanna Taylor. "It really wasn't that bad. It went pretty quickly. It started to get warm of course like normally it would on a plane when you're just sitting there." Making matters worse, Friday begins the holiday travel rush on top of the airport still playing catch up. https://boston.cbslocal.com/2018/11/16/logan-airport-snow-delays-november-16/ Back to Top Airline Pilots Raise Training Concerns About Boeing's 737 Max Pilots accuse Boeing of downplaying changes to a critical system made in the newest version of the popular 737, which may have played a role in last month's fatal crash in Indonesia. DAVID GREENE, HOST: Airline pilots are raising concerns about the newest version of Boeing's most popular aircraft, the 737. This comes after the deadly crash of one of those planes in Indonesia last month. We're talking here about the 737 MAX. And pilots say Boeing did not provide information or training for a critical new flight control system. Here's NPR's David Schaper. DAVID SCHAPER, BYLINE: When designing new versions of airplanes, manufacturers like Boeing want to keep many elements as similar to the previous model as possible. RICHARD ABOULAFIA: Well, you want commonality for purposes of training and just ease of operations for the airlines. SCHAPER: Richard Aboulafia, an aviation industry analyst with the Teal Group, says that helps airlines keep costs down. So Boeing plays up the similarities in sales pitches for the newest version of the 737, the MAX. But there was one critical difference in the MAX that pilots at American, Southwest and other airlines say they were never told about, a new automated flight control system. DENNIS TAJER: We had no idea, none whatsoever. SCHAPER: Captain Dennis Tajer flies 737s for American Airlines and is spokesman for the Allied Pilots Association. He says pilots were not informed until shortly after a 737 MAX operated by Lion Air nosedived into the Java Sea October 29, killing all 189 people on board. Indonesian crash investigators say it appears that a sensor on the plane falsely reported that the nose was too high and the plane was stalling, even though it was not. The flight control system automatically pointed the plane down, a corrective action that was not needed. Investigators cannot say yet if that's what caused the crash, but Boeing immediately issued a safety bulletin about how to regain control if such a dangerous event occurs. 737 pilot Dennis Tajer calls that situation both professionally and ethically insulting. TAJER: It shakes the trust you have in the manufacturer. Why weren't we told about this? ABOULAFIA: I understand where the pilots are coming from. SCHAPER: Again, aviation industry analyst Richard Aboulafia. ABOULAFIA: It looks like an error of omission. SCHAPER: Boeing does not acknowledge any such omission of critical safety information from its 737 MAX training manuals. In a statement, a spokesman says the two urgent updates sent out since the Lion Air crash re-emphasize existing procedures. David Schaper, NPR News, Chicago. https://www.npr.org/2018/11/15/668135787/airline-pilots-raise-concerns-about-boeings-737-max Back to Top Third Pilots' Union Raises Concern About Boeing 737 Max Jet By Alan Levin , Harry Suhartono , and Julie Johnsson * Lion Air executive also expresses frustration on safety system * Air Line Pilots Association sends letter to FAA on Max Crewman tow in a Boeing Co. Max 737 jet after landing at King County International Airport in Seattle, Washington. Photographer: Mike Kane A third U.S. pilots' union is raising concerns about what it says is a lack of information provided by Boeing Co. on a safety system installed on the new 737 Max aircraft that is under a spotlight after last month's crash off the coast of Indonesia. The operations director at Lion Air, the carrier that crashed last month, also expressed frustration in an interview Thursday with what he called a lack of information on that safety feature. "There are no details" about the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System in Boeing's latest manual updates, said Zwingly Silalahi. The Air Line Pilots Association, which represents United Continental Holdings Inc.'s flight crews, wrote to Federal Aviation Administration Acting Administrator Dan Elwell Thursday saying it was "concerned that a potential, significant aviation system safety deficiency exists" and asking for more details. "There appears to be a significant information gap, and we want to ensure that pilots operating these aircraft have all of the information they need to do so safely," wrote Captain Tim Canoll, ALPA's president. Earlier: U.S. Pilots Say Boeing Didn't Warn of 737 Feature Tied to Crash Two other pilot unions -- the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association and the Allied Pilots Association at American Airlines Group Inc. -- raised similar concerns on Monday. A safety system on the Max apparently pushed down the nose of a Lion Air flight near Jakarta shortly before it dove into the Java Sea on Oct. 29 with 189 people aboard, according to investigators in that country. Boeing says pilots could have dealt with the issue using an existing emergency procedure, but issued bulletins to carriers that was followed by an order to update flight manuals by the U.S. FAA. Boeing said in a statement that it has provided two updates to airlines on the new safety feature and was confident in the safety of the 737 Max family of jets. The company said it is "taking every measure to fully understand all aspects of this incident, working closely with the investigating team and all regulatory authorities involved." Boeing extends "our heartfelt condolences and sympathies" to victims' families, it said. Boeing, FAA Actions Provide New Clues in Lion Air 737 Max Crash "The bottom line here is the 737 Max is safe," Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg said earlier this week on Fox Business Network. "This airplane went through thousands of hours of tests and evaluations, certification, working with the pilots, and we've been very transparent on providing information and being fully cooperative on the investigative activity." Pilots on the Lion Air flight were receiving erroneous speed readings, a problem that had occurred on three previous flights, according to the Indonesia National Transportation Safety Committee. They had radioed air- traffic controllers to say they intended to return to land. A sensor that measured how high the plane's nose pointed relative to the wind also sent false signals to a safety system, prompting a computer on the plane to command a dive, according to the investigative agency. After Boeing and the FAA highlighted how the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System works and pointed to an existing emergency procedure to counter any malfunctions by it, pilots in the U.S. said they should have been given more information. Lion Air's Silalahi said he is still waiting for more details about MCAS works. "As of now, we can only guide our pilots on things that are not related to MCAS, because Boeing manual has not told us how to deal with this," he said. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-11-15/third-pilots-union-raises-concern-about-boeing-s-737- max-jet Back to Top Back to Top Manufacturer had concerns about engine part that led to woman's death on Southwest flight (CNN)The design of an engine fan blade that snapped on a Southwest flight in April, breaking an airplane window and partially sucking a woman out of it, has been a concern since the engine's earliest days, the manufacturer told investigators at a hearing Wednesday. The hearing before the National Transportation Safety Board and an NTSB report also revealed frightening new details about the chaotic scene aboard Flight 1380, when pilots heard a loud bang, wind roared into the cabin through the broken window and oxygen masks dropped from the ceiling. Jennifer Riordan, the passenger whose head and torso were sucked out of the plane, later died of blunt force trauma, according to a lengthy fact-finding report that will be the basis for the NTSB's eventual findings about the accident. The Boeing 737 was headed from New York to Dallas on April 17 when the engine failed. NTSB investigators hope the hearing will help them pinpoint the cause of the problem and prevent the catastrophic events from happening again. A recent approval poll of House of Cards president Claire Underwood reveals viewers' feelings about iron-fisted leaders. We also explore the lay of the land for women in politics. Focus on the fan blade Investigators have zeroed in on the engine design and its history, which includes various design changes to address cracking and a 2016 engine failure involving another Southwest Airlines plane. Engine manufacturer CFM International said at the hearing their CFM56-7B model failed its first certification test in the mid-1990s but ultimately passed a second certification test. Since then, engineers have made various design changes to prevent fan blade failures. After the engines were put into fleet service, "some of those early engines, when we looked at the fan blades, it indicated the coating system was not staying intact as well as we had anticipated with the design change," said Mark Habedank, engineering leader for the CFM56 engine. The company made a design modification, installing a piece of metal it called a "shim," and adding lubrication. More recently, inspectors discovered similar cracked blades in the same engine model installed on other airlines' planes, Habedank said. After the 2016 failure, CFM told operators to perform additional inspections of the fan blades. Southwest, whose entire fleet is Boeing 737s, said the particular fan blade that failed had not met the requirements for additional scrutiny. "At the time of the event, we had already inspected 603 engines," said Mark Wibben, an engineering manager at the airline. However, he said, "We had no basis to prioritize these fan blades versus any other blades in our fleet." The failed engine's last maintenance work was performed in June 2017, the NTSB reported. It was manufactured in 1997 and overhauled in 2012. CFM International is a joint venture between GE Aviation and Safran Aircraft Engines. In a statement sent Wednesday to CNN, GE Aviation said that CFM "responded aggressively" after the 2016 incident and worked closely with regulators to inspect some 350,000 fan blades in the CFM56-7B fleet. All the fan blades were cleared by mid-August 2018, the statement said. Chaos in the cabin Interviews by the NTSB reveal new details about the frightening scene aboard the plane, which was carrying 144 passengers, three flight attendants and two pilots. The first indication of a problem was a loud bang at 11:03 a.m, about a half hour after the plane took off from LaGuardia airport. The plane was flying at 32,000 feet when it banked steeply to the left and the oxygen masks dropped from the ceiling. While alarms sounded in the cockpit, the pilots struggled with equipment issues that prevented them from communicating with flight attendants, air traffic controllers, firefighters and each other, while also recovering from the steep turn and figuring out where they could land. In the cockpit, the pilots worked to level out the plane and began descending. But they told investigators that while wearing their oxygen masks, they couldn't speak to each other. After finding the correct microphone switches, the pilots mistakenly believed the plane was on fire and asked an air traffic controller to route them to the Philadelphia airport. "We're single engine descending have a fire in number one," one of the pilots said, according to the NTSB report. At that point -- 11 minutes after the bang -- one of the pilots called back to the cabin to speak to the flight attendants. That was when the flight-deck crew first learned of the situation in the cabin, including an injured passenger, the NTSB report says. The flight attendants were preparing to serve drinks when they heard the bang. One flight attendant said that "because of the pressure in her ears, she could barely hear anything, the cabin was loud and windy," the report said. A passenger's death A flight attendant discovered the harrowing scene in Row 14. Riordan, who was sitting in a window seat by the wing, "had been pulled outside the airplane through the window," the report said. The flight attendant "grabbed onto the passenger and tried to bring them back into the airplane with assistance from [another flight attendant]." Two male passengers helped and were eventually able to get the passenger back into the plane, the report said. A nearby nurse and another passenger performed CPR on Riordan as the plane landed. One of the flight attendants did not make it back to her seat in time for landing, "so she sat on the aisle floor near row 4 or 5 and passengers held her down" as the plane touched down in Philadelphia, the report said. The communications problems continued after landing. One of the pilots described "difficulty communicating with fire trucks on the radio and said the captain requested a discreet frequency." A pilot "eventually yelled ... to the fire chief from the forward entry door," the report says. Riordan's family thanked the NTSB "for their very important work" in a statement on Wednesday. "The most important thing now is making sure that the aircraft and engine failures that caused Jennifer's untimely and unnecessary death never happen again," the statement said. Eight passengers who survived the Southwest Airlines flight filed a lawsuit in June against the airline, GE Aviation Systems, Boeing, Safran USA and CFM International. The defendants declined to comment at the time on the pending litigation. https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/14/us/southwest-flight-accident-engine-ntsb/index.html Back to Top Here are all of the countries not allowed to fly into the US American Airlines DFW Airport Airlines from countries that fail to pass inspections will not be allowed to launch new flights into the US. AP * The FAA's International Air Safety Assessment (IASA) program determines whether a country and its airlines will be allowed to fly into the United States. * IASA inspectors determine whether entire countries, rather than specific airlines, meet the international standards set by the United Nations. * Airlines from countries that fail to pass inspections will not be allowed to launch new flights into the US. Commercial aviation is booming. More than four billion people traveled by air last year. According to data from the International Air Transport Association, global passenger traffic grew by 8.1% during 2017. During the first half of 2018, air travel grew 7%. However, as interconnected as global air travel may be, countries around the world still have differing standards in terms of their safety, technical, and regulatory frameworks. As a result, the US and the European Union have instituted screening programs to determine whether a nation and their airlines meet international standards. In fact, the EU publishes a list of airlines banned from its airspace due to their failure to satisfy regulators. The US, one the other hand, does not evaluate individual airlines, but rather a country's ability to follow international standards set by the United Nations' International Civil Aviation Organization or ICAO. A team of lawyers and inspectors from the US Federal Aviation Administration screen each nation that operates flights to the US as part of the International Air Safety Assessment (IASA) program. Each country is evaluated by the FAA on eight "critical elements" including its primary aviation legislation, specific operating regulations, state civil aviation system and safety oversight functions, technical personnel qualification and training, and resolution of safety concerns. Countries deemed by the FAA to have failed to comply with ICAO standards will not be allowed to launch new service into the US. Failing countries with existing service will be allowed to continue its US flights but under heightened FAA surveillance. In addition, any expansion or alterations to their US operations will not be permitted. One workaround available to airlines from countries that have failed the FAA inspection is wet-lease aircraft from countries permitted to fly into the US. In a wet lease, the lessor provides the aircraft complete with crew, maintenance, and insurance. As a result, the airline or leasing company from the country that complies with standards maintains operational control of the flight. Here's a look at all of the countries that meet and fail to meet FAA standards: FAA standards countries that meet faa flight standards Samantha Lee/BI Graphics https://www.businessinsider.com/countries-airlines-not-allowed-to-fly-into-the-us-faa-2018-11 Back to Top Indian Aviation Safety Body Rushes to Train Crash Investigators Ahead of UN Audit Experts say the last-minute measures suggest that the purpose is not to strengthen the bureau but to satisfy the auditors that their concerns have been addressed. Non-compliance with global aviation safety measures can downgrade India's ranking in aviation safety, which might impact the launching of new international flights. Credit: Reuters New Delhi: With the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) beginning an audit of India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) from November 13, aviation experts have flagged serious concerns about the bureau's strength and competence. Since the bureau was constituted in 2012 with the mandate to investigate aviation accidents in the country, none of the eight investigators in the AAIB - out of a sanctioned strength of 19 - have received intensive training for their jobs. Among other events, the bureau is looking into the bizarre incident of an Air India flight grazing the airport's perimeter wall during take-off from Trichy and the crash of a Pawan Hans helicopter carrying seven people off the Mumbai coast. According to sources in the civil aviation ministry, just ahead of ICAO's audit, the authorities sent two of the investigators on the bureau's payroll for training abroad. They also hired three new ones to bring the total strength to a "respectable number," sparking speculation on the true intent of the move. "The last-minute measures suggest that the purpose is not to strengthen the bureau but to somehow satisfy the auditors," said S.S. Panesar, an air safety expert. ICAO is scheduled to audit three sectors - AAIB, Aerodrome and CNS (communications, navigation and surveillance services) - from November 13 to 20. Set up in 1944, Montreal-based ICAO is a UN specialised agency which conducts audits of its 192 member countries to ensure compliance with global aviation safety measures. Non-compliance can downgrade India's ranking in aviation safety, which might impact the launching of new international flights. Govt letter appointing three investigators dated October 30 just a fortnight before the ICAO audit Shortcomings highlighted in 2015 audit Sources in the civil aviation ministry also divulged that the ICAO had audited the same three sectors in 2015 and red-flagged some serious shortcomings. However the government has failed to meet the sanctioned strength of investigators, organise their training, and make the body free from "interference of DGCA", the Indian civil aviation regulator. "This time, they will see whether their concerns had been complied with," the source said. Sources in the DGCA say that in 2015, just before the ICAO audit, investigators were shown a PowerPoint presentation regarding various aspects of aircraft accident investigation in the name of training. "ICAO had objected to such a farce and asked the government to enrol the investigators for proper training courses," as per the source. "Despite ICAO's objection, investigators have been shown the same PPT once again just before the audit and two of the investigators are being sent for training abroad now." According to Panesar, the ministry has never prioritised improving the efficiency of the AAIB. He believes that the government has ignored training AAIB investigators in the latest technology being used globally to investigate aircraft accidents. "As per my knowledge, none of the investigators have ever attended specific and relevant training," he said. Besides training, the independence of AAIB has also been a bone of contention between the government and ICAO. In 2015, the international body asked the government to make AAIB fully independent. "All the eight investigators were transferred to AAIB from DGCA but they still draw their salary from DGCA and hold their identity as employees of the aviation regulator," another source in DGCA said. https://thewire.in/government/ahead-of-un-audit-aviation-safety-body-rushes-to-train-investigators Back to Top Canadian Regulator Too Passive, Safety Board Chief Says TSB chair Kathy Fox says safety issues are not being addressed as a result of Transport Canada's reluctance to implement rules without industry buy-in. SEATTLE--Transport Canada's (TC's) unwillingness to make rules without industry buy-in is keeping some of the country's key safety issues from being addressed, the country's top safety investigation official says. "The regulator, instead of regulating, seems to be looking for a consensus," Kathy Fox, Transportation Safety Board (TSB) of Canada chair, told delegates at the Flight Safety Foundation International Air Safety Summit here Nov. 14. "If they don't get a consensus, then that seems to delay the regulation." Fox said TC's lack of action on dozens of recommendations that are a decade or more old prompted TSB to spotlight the issue using its semi-annual Key Safety Issues list. The agency in 2016 added "Outstanding TSB Recommendations" to its list and kept the issue on its recently-updated 2018 version. While TSB targeted all transportation modes, it called out aviation and marine as particular laggards. TSB has issued about 600 recommendations since its 1990 creation. As of October 1, 62 of them were both unresolved and issued more than 10 years ago, including 40 in TC's hands. Of these 40, TSB categories 19 of them as "active," meaning sufficient risk exists to keep pressing the regulator for action. "That's why we got to this point," Fox said "We understand some of these are tough issues, but there's no excuse that when Transport Canada agrees with us, they should take over 10 years" to issue rules. TSB in its latest issue-list report said "some encouraging progress" has been made since the issue was added to its issues list two years ago, but much of this is due to industry action or "changes in the operating environment," as opposed to new rules. "Transport Canada has made limited progress on regulatory actions. Furthermore, Transport Canada and central agencies have not undertaken the necessary actions to improve and accelerate the regulatory process for implementing responses to safety recommendations," TSB said. TSB's current issues list includes two aviation risks: runway collisions and runway overruns. Both have been on the list since its 2010 debut. TSB also lists safety management and fatigue management as key watch issues across multiple sectors, including aviation. https://www.mro-network.com/maintenance-repair-overhaul/canadian-regulator-too-passive-safety-board- chief-says Back to Top Deadly Air Force Training Jet Crash Was the Fifth in Just One Year It's been a bad run of things for the aging T-38 Talon jet trainers. A U.S. Air Force training jet crashed last night, killing one pilot and injuring a second. The incident is the fifth such crash of the T-38 Talon jet trainer in just one year. It's a startling crash frequency for the T-38, which was introduced into service in the late 1950s. Over the past several years, the Air Force has been coordinating a competition among defense contractors to build the new T-X trainer, which is scheduled to take over for the T-38 in the early 2020s. At this rate, it can't come soon enough. The trainer that crashed was assigned to Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas. According to the base website, the injured pilot was sent to Val Verde Regional Medical Center for treatment. A board of officers will convene to investigate the incident. T-38 in U.S. Air Force service, 1965. Laughlin is home to the 85th and 434th Fighter Training Squadrons. Together, the two squadrons train approximately 300 pilots annually, flying more than 75,000 hours a year. The base is home to T-6A Texan, T- 38C Talon, and T-1A Jayhawk trainer planes. On November 20, 2017, a pilot based at Laughlin was killed in a T-38C crash, according to statistics from the Aviation Safety Network. Other crashes took place on May 23, August 17, and September 11 of this year. Two pilots were killed in the five incidents, and of the five aircraft involved, four were destroyed or otherwise written off as total losses. Two incidents involved mechanical failure-a faulty gearbox and a blown tire on landing. The T-38C Talon was first introduced into U.S. Air Force service in 1961, and the last new plane was delivered in 1972. The T-38C is a key aircraft in the training of prospective fighter and bomber pilots, but the age of the aircraft fleet and the introduction of newer, more advanced planes such as the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter necessitated a new training jet. In all, 86 T-38 trainers have been involved in accidents since 1964. All but seven of the aircraft involved were write-offs. The new T-X trainer. The Air Force's prolonged competition to pick a replacement finally ended in the selection of the Boeing T-X trainer in September 2018. A brand new design, the first T-X is expected to be delivered in 2022. The $9.2 billion program will deliver up to 351 jets and 46 simulators. https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/aviation/a25100311/air-force-trainer-crashes/ Back to Top In-flight sexual misconduct task force announced by Department of Transportation Members of the sexual misconduct task force will be announced during the Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee's first meeting. The U.S. Department of Transportation on Thursday announced the creation of an in-flight sexual misconduct task force. DOT Secretary Elaine L. Chao announced the task force, which is part of the larger Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee. "The Task Force will review current practices, protocols and requirements of U.S. airlines in responding to and reporting allegations of sexual misconduct by passengers on board aircraft," said a DOT statement. Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee guidelines are outlined in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, which President Donald Trump signed into law in October. Members of the sexual misconduct task force will be announced during the Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee's first meeting scheduled for Jan. 16, 2019. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/flight-sexual-misconduct-task-force-announced-department- transportation-n936821 Back to Top Speculations over the new FAA chief and what it could mean for the drone industry Speculations are rife over who will fill the currently vacant position of FAA administrator. FAA Administrator Michael Huerta left in January after 7 years as the chief and since then Dan Elwell is the Acting Administrator. Elwell wouldn't be appointed as the head, despite being a top choice of Department of Transportation and a recognized name, as because he doesn't have the nod of the President. Wall Street Journal reported that recognizing the absence of any consensus for his candidacy, Elwell himself decided to back down. Drones and FAA Drone industry would certainly be anticipating the appointment. The industry would be hoping for lesser regulations yet increased focus on safety. Elwell famously called drones the 'Internet of Aviation' accentuating the fact that drones have potential and would bring in the aviation revolution just like the internet revolutionized the access to information and a lot of services. Gone by Washington insiders, the man most likely to be appointed as the new FAA Administrator is Steve Dickson, who was a veteran pilot of Delta Airlines and has served as its Senior VP of Global Flight Operations. No official decision has been made on the appointment but Dickson remains the top choice as per insiders. The FAA administrator has the responsibility of looking after $16 billion dollar budget and thousands of employees. Supervision of the key projects is also a priority area for the administrator. With the passage of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 last month, the priorities of the agency were clearly laid down. It remains to be seen how the new Administrator will work on them and what targets would he set. Last year, when drone industry leaders met President Trump they said that increased regulations would increase safety and generate new commercial opportunities for beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations and operations at night. Congress provided the necessary regulations with the introduction of the Drone Innovation Act of 2017, Drone Federalism Act of 2017, and the Safe DRONE Act of 2017 have been introduced in both houses of Congress. It was mandated in the National Defense Authorization Act for 2018 that small drone owners have to register their drones with FAA. Afterward FAA mandated that all drone users would have to display the unique identifier number on the drone, which is given by the FAA after the successful registration. Industry-agency working relationship It was Huerta who started the trend of broad cooperation between the drone industry and the agency years ago. The mutual cooperation has deepened over the years and has become a keystone of drone policies. Bringing all stakeholders on board has been recognized as important for encouraging the industry, driving innovation and giving a competitive edge to business. Lack of overbearing regulations and more decentralization has led to more growth and created an ecosystem conducive to American drone companies. Among the major highlights of Huerta's tenure was absolute federal authority decreasing and accommodating ideas from state governments and specialized programs like Integration Pilot Program (IPP). Huerta also walked the tightrope between drone industry associations, agencies and the airlines lobby that has always been a proponent of stifling drone regulations. It is too early to predict what the new FAA chief would have in store for the drone industry, whether he will continue the broad outreach and mutually beneficial industry-agency collaboration approach of his predecessor Huerta or would take a radical break from the past. But what is for sure is that drone safety would remain a key priority of FAA. https://www.geospatialworld.net/blogs/speculations-over-new-faa-chief-drone-industry/ Back to Top Celebrating 90 years of Antarctic aviation A black and white photo of a vintage aircraft frame in Antarctica. A black and white image of a biplane suspended from the side of a ship. Today marks the 90th anniversary of the first powered flight over Antarctica, on 16 November 1928, by Australian adventurer Sir George Hubert Wilkins in a Lockheed Vega 1. Wilkins had already entered the polar aviation history books in the same year, when he made the first flight across the Arctic with former US Army pilot Carl Ben Eielson. Riding high on their success, and with funding from the American publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst, the two adventurers turned their sights south to Graham Land on the Antarctic Peninsula. Taking off from a rough airstrip at Deception Island in the South Shetlands on November 16, the pair made a twenty minute flight that took them around the island and back into the history books. Wilkins and Eielson made many flights over the next few months, often in atrocious weather. Exhilarated at the grandeur unfolding before him, Wilkins took many photographs and sketches and wrote detailed notes in his expedition diary. "I had a tremendous sensation of power and freedom," he wrote after an 11 hour flight over the Antarctic Peninsula. "For the first time in history, new land was being discovered from the air". In a single journey, the two men surveyed an area that would have taken months to traverse by dog sled. Their triumphant return to civilisation heralded a new dawn for polar exploration. The modern aircraft was now an essential element of Antarctic expeditions. Witnessing the success of Wilkins, and determined to realise his own aviation ambitions, Sir Douglas Mawson took a De Havilland Gipsy Moth aboard the ship Discovery in the following year, as part of the British, Australian and New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition. The aircraft was deployed over the side of the ship, suspended on a cable. The float-mounted biplane quickly proved useful in achieving the expedition's goals of collecting scientific data and laying claim to new territory. Mawson and his fellow expedition pilot, Stuart Campbell, flew the aircraft ahead of Discovery on occasions, to identify routes through the pack ice. They successfully mapped a large stretch along the coastline of what would later become the Australian Antarctic Territory, from the Ross Sea to beyond Enderby Land. In a paper published in 1932, Mawson declared that "the aeroplane proved a most important factor in the prosecution of the geographical programme." Since these early days of aviation, a colourful cast of adventure-seeking pilots have continued to push the boundaries of what is possible, resulting in a progression from ship-based aviation to continental-based flights using a variety of ski-equipped aircraft. Australian aviation in Antarctica took another leap forward in 2006-07, with the commencement of intercontinental flights of an Airbus A319 from Hobart to a blue-ice runway at the aptly-named Wilkins Aerodrome, near Casey research station. Wilkins Aerodrome has transformed the Australian Antarctic Division's science and logistics capability, opening up new possibilities for rapid, flexible and efficient transport of people and cargo to the continent. Since 2016, a collaboration with the Royal Australian Air Force, using a C-17A Globemaster III aircraft, has also provided logistic support for oversize and time-critical cargo for both land and airdrop missions. In the 90 years since Sir Hubert Wilkins' historic first flight advances in manufacturing, navigation and weather forecasting have led to improvements in aviation that pioneers like Wilkins and Mawson could scarcely have dreamed of. http://www.antarctica.gov.au/news/2018/celebrating-90-years-of-antarctic-aviation Back to Top UK orders 17 more F-35B Lightning II aircraft The UK Government has signed a multi-million-pound contract for 17 additional F-35B Lightning II combat jets. The new order will double the UK current F-35 stealth jet fleet to 35 by the end of 2022. In total, the country has committed to acquire 138 F-35 joint strike fighters (JSFs) over the programme's lifetime. The new short take-off / vertical landing (STOVL) fighter aircraft variant are slated to be delivered to the country between 2020 and 2022. These additional F-35Bs will join the existing fleet of 16 UK aircraft currently based at the Royal Air Force (RAF) Marham and in the US, in addition to the two jets, which are already on order. "It will be welcome news to our firms that many more jets are now set for production." British manufacturing companies are expected to produce 15% of the overall global order for 255 JSFs valued at $6bn. The F-35 programme is estimated to generate approximately £35bn to the UK economy, supporting nearly 25,000 job opportunities in the country. UK Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said: "I am delighted to confirm that we are doubling the size of our F-35 force into a formidable fleet of 35 stealth fighters. "This is another massive order in the biggest defence programme in history. Our military and industry are playing a leading role in the F-35 programme. "We are now building this game-changing capability that will soon be ready for frontline action. This programme is set to bring an immense boost of £35bn into the British economy, and it will be welcome news to our firms that many more jets are now set for production." Currently, the F-35B Lightning II jets are embarked on the Royal Navy's lead Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth to conduct flying trials in the US. https://www.naval-technology.com/news/f-35b-lightning-ii/ Back to Top SaudiGulf signs for A320neo family aircraft SaudiGulf Airlines has signalled a major fleet expansion with plans to lease and buy up to 40 Airbus A320neo and A321neo aircraft over the next five years. At the Bahrain air show today, the Dammam-based carrier announced 10 firm orders for Neos, with 10 options to be delivered from around 2022. Chief executive Samer Majali also disclosed that the airline is negotiating with lessors to acquire a further 20 Neos - around two thirds of them expected to be A321neos - for handover from the end of next year. The airline says an engine decision will be announced "in 10 days". SaudiGulf, which launched operations in 2016, currently operates six A320ceos on domestic and Gulf routes. The deal for the Neos appears to scupper an earlier commitment for 16 Airbus A220s, made with Bombardier when the type was still known as the CSeries. Chairman Tariq Abdel Hadi Al-Qahtani says these aircraft will be replaced by the larger narrowbodies. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/saudigulf-signs-for-a320neo-family-aircraft-453670/ Back to Top GAMA Accelerates Dialogue on eVTOL Aircraft The U.S. General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) is stepping up its dialogue with European regulators on the development of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and technologies. Thirty executives of GAMA member companies representing eVTOL airframe and engine developers from eight countries met recently with officials from EASA, the European Commission, and the Single European Sky ATM Research Joint Undertaking to discuss this nascent sector of the aviation industry. "This dialogue forms a key part of the association's efforts toward increasing automation, autonomy, and de- carbonization in aviation," GAMA said. The focus is on "prioritizing the safe introduction of these new systems and technologies while making flying more accessible to the general public." The group addressed the numerous opportunities and challenges posed by these new aircraft, which promise to offer extremely quiet and green operations for a wide array of uses. Discussions focused on the regulatory framework needed for the safe and sustainable integration of these vehicles into Europe's airspace. Topics included certification, maintenance, operations, and licensing. "Global manufacturers have been working within GAMA over the last 12 months to prepare the ecosystem for eVTOL," the association said. "We are really pleased that EASA is developing a path forward for this new era of aviation." Last month, EASA opened a public consultation period on its proposal for airworthiness standards that will enable the certification of small VTOL aircraft. The agency said the aim is to "develop the first component of the regulatory framework to enable the safe operation of air-taxi and eVTOL aircraft in Europe." https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2018-11-15/gama-accelerates-dialogue-evtol- aircraft Back to Top 2019 Air Charter Safety Foundation Safety Symposium March 12-13, 2019 NTSB Training Center Ashburn, VA https://www.acsf.aero/symposium/ Back to Top Royal Aeronautical Society Montreal Branch 15th annual Assad Kotaite Lecture (6 December 2018) It is our great pleasure to announce that the 15th annual Assad Kotaite Lecture of the Royal Aeronautical Society Montreal Branch will be delivered by Robert W Maxson PhD, Director, U.S. National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Aviation Weather Center (AWC). The AWC is one of two international World Area Forecast Centers designated by ICAO to issue critical aviation weather forecasts and information on hazards such as cumulonimbus, icing, turbulence and volcanic activity. The Lecture will be presented at ICAO headquarters, 999 Robert-Bourassa Boulevard, Montreal, Quebec H3C 5H7, Canada on Thursday, December 6th, 2018 at 18h00. Click for Lecture Details. Click to Register by December 1, 2018 and a confirming message will be sent to your email address. Back to Top SpaceX gets FCC approval to deploy thousands more internet satellites Elon Musk's company plans to launch almost 12,000 Starlink satellites. SpaceX's plan to build a global, high-speed wireless internet network using satellites has taken another step forward. The FCC approved the company's request to deploy more than 7,000 very-low-Earth orbit satellites for its Starlink network. It follows the regulator giving SpaceX the green light in March to launch 4,425 satellites. When it's complete, Starlink will be comprised of almost 12,000 satellites that will blanket the planet with a persistent internet connection. That should mean people in rural areas or other locations where more traditional types of connections are impractical can access a network with promised speeds of up to 1 Gbps. SpaceX deployed two test satellites in February, and hopes to launch 1,600 in the next few years. However, the Starlink network may not be fully complete until the mid-2020s. The FCC approved similar requests from Kepler, Telesat and LeoSat for those companies to also deploy hundreds of internet-providing satellites, which won't exactly smooth concerns over space debris. Last week, SpaceX submitted a revised plan to place some satellites at a lower orbit than it originally proposed, in order to mitigate the problem. https://www.engadget.com/2018/11/15/fcc-spacex-starlink-internet-satellites/?yptr=yahoo Curt Lewis